


A Mandatory Vacation

by sevendustycowboys (palimpsests_and_quill_pens)



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Romance, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-01 13:06:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18334979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palimpsests_and_quill_pens/pseuds/sevendustycowboys
Summary: Nathan needs a vacation but he can't stop working when people need him. So it's time for a little intervention from his friends.Prompt:"Is that blood?""...No?"





	A Mandatory Vacation

Nathan was not well-acquainted with the word “vacation”. For the last forty-eight hours, he had been stitching up half of Four Corners after a brawl in the saloon went haywire.

And now, he finally had a chance to sit and rest his aching body. Enjoy a cup of coffee and take his time, instead of gulping it down with blood on his hands and a line of patients writhing in pain, clamoring for his attention.

Nathan closed his eyes, wrapping his fingers around the mug’s pleasant heat.

Footsteps approached, barely more than a soft whisk-whisk against the dusty earth. The bench swayed slightly as someone sat down beside him.

“Hello, handsome,” Raine whispered, nuzzling at his cheek. Her smile,  _oh,_  so infectious pressed to his skin with a kiss.

Nathan hummed and leaned into her touch, tilting his head toward the tempting cradle of her neck and shoulder. It would be so easy, so wonderful to melt into the warmth of Raine and lose himself for an hour or two. Or three. 

“I didn’t know you were in town,” he mumbled. Fatigued. Relieved to have the comforting peace that came with Raine’s presence.

Raine hummed. “Arrived this morning. A little birdie said you could use a visit from your favorite girl.”

“Always,” Nathan replied, a list of names rapid-firing through his head as to who that birdie could be. He had his suspicions. 

Although he would likely never find out.

Raine shifted as she reached over and took the cup of coffee from him. Placed it on the bench.

“Let’s go,” she said, threading her fingers through his. 

“Where?” 

Raine stood up, tugging on his hand. “You’ll see.”

That coy smile at the corner of her mouth he loved so much. That playful light in her eyes that made him fall head over heels for her all over again.

“Raine,” Nathan sighed. “I…can’t. People are hurt. I need to look after them.”

Raine tilted her head but she didn’t seem disappointed. Nathan had turned her down too many times to count and he hated doing it. But he couldn’t ride off when people might die in his absence.

Raine glanced across the street, tilted her chin up as if…in some sort of signal.

Chris emerged, leading Nathan’s horse. Saddled and ready. He passed the reins to Nathan.

“Time to get moving, Nathan,” he said.

“But - “

“We’ll manage. For a few days anyway. It won’t be easy but we’ll be all right.”

Still, Nathan hesitated. “Are you sure?”

Chris nodded. “It’s about time you had some peace and quiet for a change. Get outta here.”

Raine, triumphant, rested her chin on his shoulder, big doe-brown eyes shining as if to say,  _I win._

“That’s not an order,” Chris added. “But it’s a mighty strong suggestion. Josiah, on the other hand, could get a bit more physical.”

Josiah stepped around the corner and onto the boardwalk at Nathan’s right. Leaned his shoulder against the building, feigning idleness. Nathan raised his eyebrows.

“You would.. _.force_ me to leave?”

“Only for some proper rest and relaxation,” Josiah countered. 

Nathan noticed them now, the others. Vin lingering in a darkened doorway. Ezra outside of the prison, sprawled loose and easy in a chair. JD perched on the hitching post at the corner.

Raine slipped her arm through Nathan’s elbow. “Your friends are worried about you,” she said softly. 

Nathan turned to face her. “And you?”

She dipped her chin and looked up at him through her lashes. Nathan’s breath stuttered in his throat.

“I’m worried, too,” she said. “And maybe I want to take care of you for a little while. Feed you good food.” She touched his lips. “Kiss you until you can’t think straight.”

He was outnumbered. He could argue all he wanted but he’d witnessed first-hand how impenetrable and strong his friends could be when they put their minds to it.

Nathan relented, accepting the reins of his horse. He mounted up and pulled Raine into the saddle behind him. She wrapped her arms around his middle, her smile resting against the back of his neck.

“If anything goes wrong - “ Nathan started.

Chris raised a hand to cut him off. “We know where to find you.”

Nathan faltered for a moment. It went against every nerve in his body to leave. But he would be back soon enough. And they wouldn’t fall apart without him. They could survive on their own. Just for a day or two.

He hoped.

Nathan wheeled his horse, heading out of town. He placed his hand over Raine’s fingers, brushing his thumb across her knuckles. Her heartbeat tripped faster, pressed against his back. 

Up ahead, Buck stumbled out of the saloon. He skidded to a stop at the sight of Nathan and touched the brim of his hat.

“Mornin’, Miss Raine,” he said.

Raine nodded in return with a smile, resting her cheek between Nathan’s shoulder blades.

Nathan wasn’t smiling. His gaze was locked on the cuff of Buck’s sleeve and the all-too-familiar red stain there, small enough to almost go unnoticed.

Almost. 

As Nathan passed the saloon, he craned his neck around.

“Is that blood?” he demanded.

Buck swore under his breath. “…No?” he replied, entirely unconvincing.

A heartbeat of silence settled. 

Then Buck began moving the other way. Fast.

Before Nathan could turn back, Raine caught the reins, taking them away from him. She clucked her tongue and dug her heels into the horse’s flanks, kicking into a steady trot out of town.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like it! Feel free to drop by tumblr and say hello @sevendustycowboys, or explore some of the other Mag7 related goodies I've scattered throughout the blogsphere :)


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